On the Divine Names

Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite · c. 500 AD

The Works of Dionysius the Areopagite (Parker), John Parker, The Works of Dionysius the Areopagite, 2 vols., London: James Parker & Co. (Skeffington), 1897–1899; transcribed by Roger Pearse, tertullian.org.

Anonymous Greek-writing theologian active c. 500 AD, writing under the pseudonym 'Dionysius the Areopagite' (the Athenian convert of St Paul in Acts 17:34). His Corpus Areopagiticum — the Divine Names, Mystical Theology, Celestial Hierarchy, Ecclesiastical Hierarchy, and ten Letters — synthesizes late Neoplatonic metaphysics with Christian doctrine and became foundational for Orthodox apophatic theology. The Orthodox tradition receives the corpus critically (recognizing its pseudonymity) while reading it as a vital expression of mystical theology: cited extensively by St Maximus the Confessor, St John of Damascus, and the hesychast tradition through St Gregory Palamas.

Contents

1. Caput I — TO MY FELLOW PRESBYTER, TIMOTHY, DIONYSIUS THE PRESBYTER.(9 chapters)
2. Caput II(10 chapters)
3. Caput III — What is the power of prayer, and concerning the blessed Hierotheus, and concerning reverence and covenant in the Word of God.(3 chapters)
4. Caput IV — Concerning Good, Light, Beauty, Love, Ecstasy, Jealousy, and that the Evil is neither existent, nor from existent, nor in things being.(32 chapters)
5. Caput V — Concerning Being----in which also concerning Exemplars.(10 chapters)
6. Caput VI — Concerning Life.(3 chapters)
7. Caput VII — Concerning Wisdom, Mind, Reason, Truth, faith.(13 chapters)
8. Caput IX — Concerning great, small, same, different, similar, dissimilar, standing, movement, equality.(23 chapters)
9. Caput XIII — Concerning Perfect and One.(4 chapters)